NEW YORK, NY.- On May 12, 2023, Christie’s New York Post-War and Contemporary Day Sale will offer Maysha Mohamedi’s Too Young to Go Steady to benefit land conservation with Art into Acres. The proceeds of the work, which was donated by the artist, will support the permanent conservation of land in the United States through community-led efforts. The painting is raising funds that are being matched at 200% from private foundations and will assist in biodiversity conservation and species migration corridors, supporting formal protection status at a large-scale.

Conserving intact ecosystems and watersheds is one of the leading ways to maintain the planet’s ability to capture atmospheric carbon dioxide and to mitigate climate change. Christie’s has an on-going partnership with Art into Acres, an artist-founded initiative that supports the due diligence and funding of new indigenous, national and community-led conserved areas wherein artworks a few feet in size support the permanent conservation of thousands of acres.

At the center of Mohamedi’s practice is an abstraction that registers conditions specific to her life in Los Angeles in the 21st century. Bits of visual information, crystallized into moments of haptic communion, invite the viewer to be a co-creator in her abstract world. In works such as Too Young to Go Steady, Mohamedi’s handwork reflects the atmosphere of her thought process. Her immersive works exude a sense of illimitability. Mohamedi received a Bachelor of Science in 2002 from the University of California, San Diego, where she studied cognitive science, and a Master of Fine Arts in painting from the California College of the Arts in San Francisco in 2011.

Speaking about the present work, Mohamedi explained, “I previously worked as a neuroscientist in a laboratory setting. My understanding of how the brain processes visual information, grants me access to another dimension I utilize when creating a painting. I cannot subtract my understanding of how color and line interact with a viewer's physiology - points of light hit the back of the retina, transforming into the neural math underlying a sensation of having "seen" something - when I create marks on the surface of a painting.”

Kat Widing, Christie’s, Specialist, Post-War and Contemporary Art, said: "Christie's is honored to support the direct impact that Art into Acres has made on conservation around the globe. We are thrilled to be presenting Maysha’s generous donation -- a powerful painting that furthers a necessary conversation on sustainability.”

Brent Fenty, Executive Director, Oregon Desert Land Trust, a conservation non-profit, shared: “Our partnership has enabled people from across the country to convert their passion for art into the permanent conservation of thousands of acres of land. These ecosystems are home to pronghorn antelope, America's fastest land mammal, and more than 350 other species of wildlife.”

Maysha Mohamedi, Artist, shared: “When considering U.S. land conservation during the inception of this painting, I discovered a link between John Coltrane's song Too Young to Go Steady and my feelings of optimism for America, a young country with the ability and resources to pause, reflect, and course-correct in vital ways.”

Sandra Schubert, Executive Director, Tuleyome, a conservation non-profit, said, "The expansion of these conserved areas would safeguard public lands that are sacred to tribal nations and are critically important to protect in the face of a changing climate."

Dr. Wes Sechrest, CEO and Board Chair, Re:wild, a conservation non-profit, stated: “Our planet, the only known one with life, contains an intertwined array of animals, plants, fungi, and microorganisms, each woven into the wondrous living tapestry coating our blue marble. These species are the building blocks of ecosystems that help create and maintain the very conditions that we need to live.”

Dr. Haley Mellin, Artist and Founder, Art into Acres, explained: “Art and conservation are both based in legacy. Prioritizing equity in conservation is key, and this support focuses on equitable community-led conservation. The health of our lands, is the health of our waters and health of our communities."

Christie’s would like to thank Maysha Mohamedi, Sam Spiewak Ben Strauss-Malcolm, Hannah Root, Mitch Sawyer, Pace Gallery, AJ Kiyoizumi, Taylor Nemetz, Kat Widing, Ana Maria Celis, Jessica Stanley, Sandy Heller, Wes Sechrest, Alex Quintero, Laura Stewart, Kai Anderson, Will Fadely, Brent Fenty, David Dreher, Kharli Rose, Heath Nero, Sandra Schubert, Will Marshall, Robbie and Jessy Kate Schingler, Brian and Adria Sheth, Temple Shipley, Vivian Brodie, Micki Meng, Yvon and Malinda Chouinard, Kris Tompkins, Whitney Clapper, Rick Ridgeway, Karl Burkart, Patagonia, Artists Commit, Galleries Commit and Gallery Climate Coalition New York.